On the eve of the US Congressional Hearings
directed against the four big Internet companies (Microsoft, Google, Yahoo and
Cisco) about their collaboration with the Chinese government, I am writing to
state that I believe that this has nothing to with us whatsoever. This
is a purely internal American affair. When we Chinese who love freedom
attempt to promote freedom of expression, we never thought that the right for
freedom of expression ought to be protected by the US Congress. Every
single blog post of mine was written in Chinese, and every sentence was
written for my compatriots. I have no interest to cater to the interests
of foreign readers.

I have always had a strong sentiment: the
reason why a country is great is because at its darkest and toughest moments,
there were always young people who love this earth and will not forsake their
dreams to pursue freedom, democracy, security and wealth for their
people. These dreams are not given by the United States. These
dreams can only be realized by ourselves. Only the Chinese can continue
to maintain the hope to continue to fight for the political future in the face
of despair. Only the Chinese can maintain the faith in reversing the
course of a river that has been contaminated.

This is our country. This is our
earth. We must let this generation bring freedom, democracy, security
and wealth to China. This is where we and our children will belong
forever. The defeat of China will be our defeat for our whole
lives. There can be no lucky ones in a time of chaos. A failed
country will cause us to be the object of contempt no matter where we
are. When foreigners repeatedly use "totalitarian" to describe
China, this is a deep shame for me as a Chinese person. This shame
cannot ever be forgotten.

These kind of sentiments cannot be understood
by foreigners. When the US Congress holds a hearing about Internet
freedom in China, this is an American affair. When the US Congress
proposes Internet freedom of information legislation, this is truly treating
the freedom of the Chinese netizens as maids that they can dress up as they
see fit.

The proposed legislation even included this:
when American companies interfere with information from the American government
communications (such as the Congressional Human Rights Report, Voice of
America, Radio Free Asia), they will be severely fined and the responsible
persons will be jailed. Anyone with commonsense should know that
American companies such as Google and MSN Spaces will be forced to quit the
Chinese market. Then we will be left with the cursed Baidu, our national
blog service providers and the monitored email boxes.

I cannot help but ask: Mr. Congressmen, is
your proposed legislation intended to protect the freedom of information for
the netizens in China, or is it intended to protect the freedom of information
from the United States government? If it is the first, then how is it
that after we are "protected," our freedom is in fact reduced?
If it is the latter, then why are you saying that this is about the freedom of
information for the Chinese netizens?

Companies such as Microsoft and Google have
provided Chinese netizens with much freedom of information over these
years. They have begun to compromise recently. This is the shame
of American companies as well as the shame of the Chinese people. The
solution from the American side is that these companies must adhere to their
bottom lines and be more responsible. Not only do you need the Chinese
market, but China also needs these American companies. Your negotiation
conditions are not getting fewer, but there are more. The Chinese
netizens need freedom to grow more and more.

For the US Congressional representatives who
think that everything is black-and-white, the absurd proposal is that
"compromise=retreat." They even treat the freedom of the
Chinese netizens as a maid that they can dress us as they wish. This
proves once again: the freedom and rights of the Chinese people can only be
won by the Chinese people themselves.

The only true way of solving the Internet
blockage in China is this: every Chinese youth with conscience must practice
and expand their freedom, and oppose any blockage and suppression every
day. This is the country that we love. Nobody wants her to be free
more than we do. I am proud to be your compatriot.

At the end of my statement, I must state once
again that I have mentioned only Microsoft and Google as the American
companies, but it is definitely not Yahoo! A company such as Yahoo!
which gives up information is unforgivable. It would be for the good of
the Chinese netizens if such a company could be shut down or get out of China
forever.